Animal-releasing device



(No Model.)

G. A. WATERHOUSE.

ANIMAL RELEASING DEVICE.

Patented Sept. 11 .1888,

n PETERS. Fhowum u w. wahin tm ma NITED TAT-ES GILBERT A. VATERHOUSE, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS.

ANIMAL=RELEASING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,269, dated September 1], 1888.

Application filed Junclfi, 1888. Serial No. 276,998. (NomodclJ To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT A. \Vivrnn- HOUSE, of Quincy, in the county of Norfolk, State of M assachusetts,have in vented a certain new and useful Improvement in Animal-Releasing Devices, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side elevation representing my improved device in use; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the releasing device proper detached; Fig. 3, a front elevation of the same; Fig. 4, a front elevation of the spring-clamp; Fig. 5, a vertical section of the same; Fig. 6, a vertical section of the releasing device proper with the bar removed; Fig. 7, a side elevation of the bar of the releasing device proper detached; and Fig. 8, a vertical section of the body of the releasing device proper with the -bar removed, showing the opposite side from that represented in Fig. 6.

Likeletters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates to that class of releasing devices which are designed to enable a horse or other animal to be rapidly released or unhitched without the necessity of going into the stall in case of a fire; and it consists in certain novel features, as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, the object being to pro duce a simpler, cheaper, and more effective device of this character than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation.

In the drawings, A represents the body of the releasing device proper, and B the bar. The body is hollow,being preferably composed of iron and nearly rectangular in form. A recess, m, (see Fig. 2,) is formed in one of its sides, f, its opposite side, (I, (see Fig. 6,) being provided with a shoulder, 15. The front of the body is open above the shoulder 15, and disposed at the lower end of the side (Z there is a curved bottom, 25, which extends across said body between the sitlcs d f, as shown in Fig. 6. The bar B is fiat and of such diameter as to fit loosely in the body A, its lower end being curved, as shown at 35, and resting on the bottom 25. An eye, 45, projects from one side of the bar into the recess m, and insertedin said eye there is a ring, 0, to which a halter, 55, may be attached. A stud, 65, projects from the bar opposite the eye 45 and rests on the shoulder 15 when said bar is in position for use. A spring, 54,is coiled around a hub, 64, within the body A, the free end of said spring resting on a shoulder, 74, formed on the upper portion of the bar B, said spring serving to keep the bar from accidentally falling out of the body A.

The releasing device proper, A, is secured to the side of the stall H in the vicinity of the horses head and disposed vertically above the same, and also secured to the side of the stall there is a metallic bar, E, provided with a longitudinal slot, 75, which extends its entire length and opens outward through its side, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A series of spring clamps, J, are secured to the upper portion of the stall, one of said clamps being disposed directly over the bar E, or nearly so. Each of the clamps J consists of a metallic body, 85, provided with bars 95, 14, and 24, cast integral or in one piece, and a spring-hook, 84. One end of the hook is inserted between the bars 14 and 24, its body being carried upward and bentdownward over the bar 95 in such manner that its free end presses on the body 85, as shown in Fig. 5.

The clamps J are secured to the upper portion of the wall of the stall with their hooks 34 downward, as shown in Fig. 1, a cord, K, having its outer end secured at 44, being passed through said hooks and slot 75 in the bar E into the body A and secured to the upper end of the bar B. The hooks 34 are sufficiently rigid to hold the cord suspended, as shown in Fig. 1, and also sufficiently elastic to permit the cord to be easily released therefrom by pulling on its outer end at 44.

In the use of my improvement, when a fire occurs and it becomes necessary to remove the horse from the stall, the cord K is pulled downward until detached from the hooks of the clamps J, whereupon it falls into a plane with the body A and is then pulled horizontally until the spring 54. is overcome and the bar B tipped from the body A, the stud 65, resting on the shoulder 15, serving as a pivot on which said bar turns as it is dislodged from I said body. The halter 55 being seen red to the bridle ot'the horse and also to thering C, and the cord K to the bar B,when the bar is pulled out of the body A the horse may be led from the stall in a manner that will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters without a more explicit description.

If desired, several of the cords may be con nected in such a manner that an equal number of horses may be set free at one time.

It will be obvious that my improvement is also valuable for unhitching vicious or kicking horses and removing them from the stalls without the necessity of entering the stall for that purpose; also, that the pull of the halter laterally on the bar B will not dislodge said bar from the body A.

The object of the grooved bar E is to prevent the horse from biting the cord K and thereby accidentally pulling the bar B from the body A and unhitching himself when the hitch proper is disposed in a position to permit of the same.

The curved bottom causes the lower or curved end of the bar B to slide downward and to the front of the body A, and its upper end to fall backward against the spring 54, under the free end of which it is forced when inserted in said body.

Having thus explained inyinvention, whatI claim is- 1. In an animalreleasing device, the hollow body A, open in front and provided with the curved bottom 25, shoulder 15, recess m, and spring 54, in combination with the tilting bar B, disposed in said body and provided with the curved end 85, stud 65, and ring C, substantially as set forth.

2. Inan animal-releasing device, the hollow body A, open in front and provided with the curved bottom 25, shoulder 15, recess m, and spring 54, in combination with the tilting bar B, disposed in said body and provided with the curved end 35, stud 65, ring 0, and cord K, substantially as described.

3. In an animal-releasing device of the chan act-er described, the grooved bar E, in combination with the body A, having the tilting bar B, provided with the ring 0 disposed therein, the cord K, connected with said bar, and one or more spring-clamps, as J, for detachably supporting said cord, substantially as set forth.

4. The clamp J, having the body 85, provided with the bars 14, 24, and 95, and elastic hook 34., secured to said body by said bars, in combination with the bar E, provided with the groove 75, and hollow body A, provided with the spring 54, shoulder 15, and tilting bar B, having the ring 0, and stud 65, all being arranged to operate substantially as described.

5. In an animal-releasing device, a tilting bar provided with a ring for the halter, a body for containing said bar, said body being provided with an opening in its side through which the bar may be pulled, a cord connected with said bar and extending to the rear of the stall, a guard-bar for the cord disposed above said body and having a groove through which the cord passes, and one or morespring clamps for detachably supporting the cord between said bar and the rear or outer end of the stall, the parts being combined substantially as de scribed.

GILBERT A. W'ATERHOUSE.

Witnesses:

E. M. SPINNEY, O. M. SHAW. 

